It’s a funny thing, but people, businesses and organizations purchase liability, property and casualty, and even health insurance in the fervent hope of never having to use it.  But those same folks often don’t invest in the “insurance” of having a strong yet flexible “Crisis Communication Plan” in place. 

You can call them “reactive” or “defensive” or, as most in our industry do, “crisis” communication plans.  Whatever you call it, it’s something that virtually every organization that does business of any kind with any public should have in place, in advance and in easy reach. 

While working recently on a reactive situation (my words of choice) I realized that the elements of a solid plan are not at all complicated and shouldn’t require a great deal of tedious time-consuming consideration.   Indeed, many of the aspects of a good crisis plan are the same as those of a proactive communication plan.  The two most important considerations are to dispense ONLY accurate information, and to do it in a timely manner that is most beneficial to the organization. 

Too many leaders in the midst of a difficult situation lose sight of the fact that the deadlines imposed by members of the media are or should be of only marginal consideration.  Two of the most important phrases any spokesperson should know in the heat of the moment are, “I don’t know” and “I’ll get back to you.”  

There’s much more that goes into a strategically developed defensive plan, but more important than the “what” of a plan, are the clear and simple facts that organizations need to understand the nature and implications of a 24-hour news cycle, that negative information can be tactically detrimental but not necessarily strategically devastating, and that having a plan in place and then keeping it updated will save time, will clarify internal conversations and can prevent meaningful and long term damage to a business’s or organization’s image, reputation, revenue and profit. 

And they don’t have to cost a ton of money, either!